Exploring Into the Wild
Krakauer's style of writing is unique and rarely seen in other works. The way he chose to do the chronology is risky but he managed to make it successful. By clearly outlining the events of McCandless's journey readers can better understand the young alpinist and his experience. The letters and interviews give a clearer understanding of how McCandless influenced the lives of those he met while on his odyssey. The chronology of Into the Wild combined with the letters and interviews gathered by its author demonstrate the understanding and sympathy that Krakauer had for the Tolstoyan prodigy, Chris Mcandless.
Instead of being like every other author, Krakauer chose to change the chronology of the story. Instead of the story starting at the beginning, it starts with the ending. In the second chapter Krakauer writes, "Chris McCandless has been dead for two and a half weeks."(13) After that, Krakauer shifts to the beginning, where McCandless first begun his experience and the journey that would not only change his life but the lives of those he met along the way.
By giving the readers the end at the beginning the author manages to recreate a feeling of unraveling a mystery. Krakauer clearly wants those reading this novel to see why this young man's story is so interesting.
McCandless story is not the only thing interesting thing about the book. Though it seems like there is no order in the chronology. Krakauer does not just jump from one part of the story to the other. An example of this is how the people Chris met, are introduced. The people McCandless met are introduced in the order in which he met them. In the first few chapters, one of the characters that had the most impact on the 24-year-old Washington...